Definition
A young knight or esquire; the rank, condition, or retinue of young knights; a body of bachelors or young warriors.
Etymology
From Middle English and Old French bachelier, meaning young knight, plus -ry (Old Norse suffix meaning collection or domain). This is the oldest bachelor-related word, referring to the medieval feudal system where bachelors were junior knights waiting for their own lands.
Kelly Says
The medieval bachelor wasn't unmarried—he was a young warrior without land or title, waiting for his lord's favor to make him a knight of his own estate, so when the word shifted to mean unmarried men, it kept that sense of waiting and incompleteness that's kind of tragic once you notice it.
Translations
ARالعربية
عزوبية
ʿazūbiyya
BNবাংলা
অবিবাহিত
ɔbibāhit
CACatalà
solteria
soʎtɛriä
DADansk
ugift tilværelse
uɡift tɪlʋɛrlɛsɛ
DEDeutsch
Junggesellentum
jʊŋɡəzɛləntʊm
ESEspañol
soltería
sol'teriä
FISuomi
naimattomuus
näimätɔmʊs
FRFrançais
célibat
sɛlibɑ
HAHA
baƙon haure
bäkɔn haurɛ
HIहिन्दी
कुवाँरापन
kuŋvāräpän
HUMagyar
nőtlenség
nötʲlɛnʃɛɡ
IDBahasa Indonesia
lajang
lädʒäŋ
ITItaliano
scapolato
skäpo'lätɔ
KMKM
បុរសមិនមានប្រពន្ធ
borəs mɨn miən prɑpɔn
MSBahasa Melayu
bujang
buʤäŋ
MYမြန်မာ
အိမ်ထောင်မပြီး
ʔəmɪ̀ɰ tʰäuŋ ma pɾí
NLNederlands
vrijgezellenbestaan
vrɛɪɣəzɛlənbɛstäɑn
NONorsk
ugift tilværelse
uɡift tɪlʋɛrlɛsɛ
PLPolski
kawalerstwo
kavälerstvɔ
PTPortuguês
solteirice
soʊl'tɛjris
RORomână
burlăcie
bur'lätʃiɛ
RUРусский
холостяцкая жизнь
xolostʲätskäjä žiznʲ
SVSvenska
ogift tillvaro
oɡift tɪlʋäro
SWKiswahili
kuwa mjane
kuwä mʤänɛ
TAதமிழ்
கற்பார்ந்தோர்
kaṟpārntōr
TEతెలుగు
అవివాహిత
ävivāhit
TLTL
dalagang lalaki
däläɡaŋ läläki
TRTürkçe
bekarlık
bɛkärlɪk
UKУкраїнська
холостяцтво
xolostʲätsʲtvɔ
URاردو
نکاح نہ کرنے کا
nikāḥ nah karnē kā
VITiếng Việt
độc thân
ʔɗɔk tʰân
YOYO
okunrin ti ko ile
ɔkʊnrɪn ti kɔ ilɛ
ZUZU
abafana abakhwaphi
äbäfäna äbäxwäphi
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
Archaic -ry form (like 'chivalry') confers institutional and social dignity to unmarried male status; women had no equivalent status word with institutional prestige.
Inclusive Usage
Avoid; use 'unmarried condition', 'single status', or discuss historical bachelor institutions explicitly naming gender exclusion.
Inclusive Alternatives
["unmarried condition","single status"]